Missed Opportunites
by GhostofaGirl15
Summary: "She hates that she and Zig never had a real shot. She hates that their relationship was built on missed opportunities." Oneshot. Romance. Angst. Zig/Maya. Mentions of Zig/Tori.


It's Freshman year and Maya Matlin is miserable. She wanted to go to art school, but no. She's stuck at Degrassi where her older sister, Katie Matlin's, reputation proceeds her. She grumbles as she gets out of her car and goes to find her locker.

About halfway through the day, she's trying to find her way to the music room. She's lost, of course. Degrassi was huge. She's focused completely on finding the classroom, when a tall Freshman guy pulls on her arm and asks her if she could save a life, would she? She's confused at first, but then he tells her to yell at him.

She's still confused, but manages to yell something along the lines of _You scoundrel!_ at him. He seems impressed and introduces himself as Zig Novak. She smiles and says she's Maya Matlin. After that, she and Zig are _sortofkindofmaybe _friends. He's funny and nice and smart, and -while Maya would never admit it to anyone- cute.

She's sad in an unexplainable way when Zig and Tori get back together. It wasn't like she and Zig were anywhere close to being together, but she thinks there were moments when it seemed like he liked her like she likes him. She realizes she was kidding herself when Tori comes up and hugs him and his arm goes around her. When Zig says something about her being into him, she lies and hurries off.

She feels her heart hurt, but can't let it defeat her. She still has four years left of high school to get through. But still, a little bit of her heart cracks when she thinks about Zig and Tori.

XX

It's Sophomore year and Zig and Tori are still together. They've been having a lot of problems, though. Maya can't decide how she feels about that. Ever since she, Zig, Tori, and Tristan started hanging out last year, she finds it hard to resent Tori for liking Zig - only because she does as well.

She knows it's juvenile and she should be over her crush by now, but she can't help it. Zig just has this… thing about him. It draws people to him. People who don't even really know him. Maya's found that once he's drawn you to him, he also makes it really hard to let go, and he makes it seem like you don't want to, either.

One night, when they're studying for finals at Maya's house (and eating the cookies her mom provided), Zig puts down his study materials and looks at the blonde girl, immersed in her notes of _The Crucible_. Maya notices a couple of seconds later and sets her notebook down.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" She asks, her cheeks warming up.

Zig shakes his head, still looking at her. A second later, he blurts out, "Do you think I made a good decision getting back together with Tori Freshman Year?"

Maya's caught off guard by the question. She's always told Tori that her relationship with Zig was none of Maya's business (but that was mainly because it hurt more than she's willing to admit to talk about), but with Zig it's different. She's the one that helped them get back together in the first place. She can tell that's his thinking, too.

"That's not really my place to say, Zig. I don't know everything that goes on in your relationship with Tori." She replies. She's being honest, but also withholding a lot of what she wants to say. She just can't make herself say it.

"It's just… when I broke up with Tori in eighth grade, I was so stupid about it. I wasn't thinking about anyone but me. But now I don't think our relationship is that fun for EITHER of us anymore, but I still don't wanna hurt her. I don't know what I should do." The taller boy replies. He looks positively torn up and confused. Maya feels her heart go out to him, she really does. So much so that she can't keep the next words from coming out of her mouth:

"Listen to your heart, Zig. It usually tells you what it really wants, if you listen close enough." She knows from experience. Her heart keeps telling her all the time how much she wants Zig. It hurts, but she's kind of gotten used to it.

Zig smiles and nods, seeming to like that. The two teenagers go back to work, each taking a couple seconds to glance at the other when they aren't looking. Sometimes they think it's all they'll ever have.

He and Tori end up staying together.

XX

Junior year. Maya decides to put all of the Zig mess behind her. It's a new year and a new start. That's what she keeps telling herself. She hopes one day she might actually believe it.

It's the Degrassi Fall Carnival. She's standing by a concession stand, looking for someone when he comes running up to her. She smiles when she sees him, and a little piece of her heart hurts when he smiles back. He and Tori had broken up over the summer, but he still hasn't shown any interest in her.

"Can I ask you something?" He asks. She nods, but there's a hesitance to it. "Do you remember when you told me to follow my heart last year?" She nods again. "Well, I'm doing that. I like you, Maya. As more than a friend. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to realize that."

She's speechless. Utterly and completely speechless. Of all the things that Zig could've said to her, she was expecting that the least. He sees the look on her face and realizes what he's done. His eyes widen as he stutters, trying to make up for everything he just said. He had hoped she would reciprocate, but he sees now she doesn't.

"Look, Maya, I get it, you don't like me like that. It's cool." Zig states, trying to play it off like it's no big deal. Even though both teens know it is. Neither of them know how to deal with the situation, though.

"Zig, no. It's not that. It's just…" She trails off when she feels an arm slide around her shoulder. She knows immediately who it is. Aaron. The Senior guy that asked her out a few days ago. She had said yes to help get over Zig. She thought it might work because Aaron was a good guy, but she can see now that she just wants Zig. But she can't hurt Aaron.

"Is everything okay, Babe?" Aaron asks, looking back and forth at the two juniors. Maya nods quickly.

"Yeah, yeah. Zig and I were just talking about his breakup with Tori. That's all." She says. She can hear her voice wobble, but hopes neither boy detected it. Aaron looks at the two of them for another second, before turning to Maya.

"Come on, let's go get some cotton candy." He finally says. Maya nods and the pair walks away from Zig, who starts walking in the opposite direction. She hates herself for doing it, but she looks back, only to see him looking at her like a kicked puppy. She's never felt worse about anything.

XX

Senior Year. The last year before everyone goes off on their separate paths. Tori's taken it upon herself to make sure Tristan, Zig, Maya, and herself all have as much fun as possible before graduation. It's something Maya's going to miss about the dark haired girl. They might have started off on the wrong foot Freshman year, but they've become surprisingly close. They all have. They're the ones that have helped each other through breakups (Zig and Tori's and Aaron and Maya's), make ups, good times and bad, everything.

There are a lot of things they do together: shopping, carnivals, trips to the skate park, the Toronto Music Festival, concerts. Practically anything they can think of, they do. It's all fun and mad-laughing hilarity, but underneath, for Zig and Maya, is a sadness. It's been there since Freshman year, whether Zig realized it or not. But now that they both know it's there, it's harder to deal with. Tori and Tristan sense something, but they don't ask.

Graduation comes all too soon and pretty soon the class of 2015 is being announced one by one. Maya Matlin. Tristan Milligan. Zig Novak. Tori Santamaria. Each one turning their caps and smiling at their families, high school is finally complete. When Mr. Simpson announces that they have in fact graduated, everyone throws their hats up, whooping and hollering.

Tori throws herself at Maya and hugs her tight. Maya can tell she's crying and does her best to comfort her. Luckily, Tristan comes quickly and hugs Maya before attempting to console Tori, to pretty much no avail. Just as she's about to help, she feels someone spin her around and hug her tight. She knows immediately that it's Zig. She hugs back with all she can. It's all they'll have now. She wishes they would've had a chance. But maybe it's for the best.

The pair only breaks apart when Tristan says he could use some help with Tori. They give each other reluctant looks, unwilling to break the moment, before heading over to them. They glance at each other as they console Tori. It only reinforces the idea in Maya's mind that it's better that they don't get together. She doesn't want to be like this at summer's end when she leaves for University.

XX

It's the last day of summer vacation and Maya's scared out of her mind. She's going to a musical college in New York called Julliard and while she's thrilled beyond belief, she's terrified as well. So, as she stands in the middle of the airport, she can't help but feel lucky that all the people she really cares about -her parents, her sister, Tori, Tristan, and of course, Zig- are with her.

Her dad hugs her first. It's strong and sure, but comforting as well. Her mom follows, gentle and loving. Then Katie. She seems to be hugging her in an understanding way, knowing that she's going to do great things and truly be her own person outside of Degrassi. Tristan's hug is brief, but still comforting. Tori is crying as they hug, saying that she's going to miss her and that she better keep in touch. Maya promises to do just that.

And then there's Zig. They look at each other for a moment. She wants to hug him so badly, but that doesn't seem fair, considering she's leaving. So, instead, she holds out her hand. He looks at it and takes it, giving it a firm shake. But instead of letting go, he pulls her into a warm, tight hug. And she realizes it's exactly what she needed. She curls into him automatically and instantly feels safe. Protected. Cared for.

She hugs him with all the emotion she's ever felt for him and it still doesn't seem like enough. How do you show someone how much they've meant to you with just a single hug? She doesn't think she ever could show Zig how much he truly meant to her. She wishes she had more time to try.

Before they completely pull away, he leans down and kisses her. It's over as quick as it happened and it breaks her heart while at the same time making it feel whole. She hates that it's the completely right boy, but just the wrong place and time. She wishes something would give. But she knows nothing can. Their lives -while are still very much entangled- are branching out more and more. Everyone can feel it.

"I've wanted to do that for awhile now." He states. "I'm sorry." She shakes her head in a _Don't be._ kind of way and gives him a weak smile. They both know it's not enough. But at least the feelings are out there and they can't walk away without saying "I wish I knew how they felt."

All too soon her flight is called and he's pulling away, telling her to go on. That Julliard is more than ready for her. As she walks away, she looks back at him. She doesn't understand how she could be so happy and miserable at the same time. She hates that she and Zig never had a real shot. She hates that their relationship was built on missed opportunities. But as she walks away, she knows she'll never forget about the dark haired boy and that a little bit of her heart will always be owned by him. And she feels like it's the same for him.

And that's enough to get her through this. It has to be. It's all they have left of each other.

_Fin._

**So… I sort of don't like this. I feel like it's really rushed and not good at all and I feel like Zig and Maya (and Tristan and Tori for that matter) are OOC, but we haven't seen a lot of them so that's what I'll blame it on that. That being said, I LOVE Zig and Maya together (I've also taken to shipping Adam/Tori, but that's a different story). And I hope I did them at least a little justice. And this idea seriously wouldn't leave me alone. So I sincerely apologize if it sucks.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Degrassi**_**, if I did, you'd see more of Zig/Maya and Adam/Tori (I don't even think they've had a scene together yet). I also don't own **_**The Crucible**_**. I just had to read it for English class**


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